Bolt-action rifle.



G. NORMAN.

BOLT ACTION RIFLE.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.16, 1912.

1,368,360. Patented July 22, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

' ArTo nEf/ COLUMBIA PLANOURAPH co.. WASHINGTON. D4 r G. NORMAN.

BOLT ACTION RIFLE.

urmoumn rum) DEO.16, 1912.

Patented July 22, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ER V0 NE /G COLUMBIA PMNOGRADH CO.,WAH|NGTON. D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT @FFTQE.

GEORGE NORMAN, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE BIRMINGHAM SMALL ARMS COMPANY LIMITED, OF BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND.

BOLT-ACTION RIFLE.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, GEORGE NORMAN, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, residing at 322 Mansel road, Small Heath, Birmingham, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Bolt-Action Rifles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to pro vide a rifle in which the breech bolt and the body mechanism are short and compact and so constructed and arranged as to permit of the shooter opening and closing the breech mechanism for unloading and load ing the weapon without the necessity of removing the rifle from the shoulder or taking the eye from the line of sight, or moving the head from the aiming position.

In bolt action rifles, as at present employed the breech bolt is mounted in a bolt way which is usually in alinement with the barrel, and when in its outward or open position protrudes beyond the outer end of the breech body into proximity with the shooters face, which necessitates the shooter removing his eye from the line of sight; and further, the breech bolt and handle are so disposed as to make it impossible to easily open and close the breech mechanism while the weapon is held against the shoulder of the shooter.

It has been proposed, with the object of increasing the length of barrel and decreasing the over-all length of the weapon, to set the bolt in elevation at an inclination in relation to the center of the barrel, in which case the trigger mechanism had to be placed under the barrel, being located in a position well forward of the breech body and bolt. Thus in firing the weapon the shooters hand gripped the barrel; and further, to permit of sighting, the bolt and stock had also in plan to be inclined in relation to the barrel. Also it has been proposed to construct a rifle in which the bolt is set at a slight angle downward to the barrel, with the two axes in the same vertical plane, in which case the trigger mechanism was disposed near the front end of the breech body and bolt, and the magazine. Thus when firing, the shooters hand gripped the magazine breech body and bolt and would be in a dangerous position in the event of a blow back.

According to the present invention the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 16, 1912.

Patented July 22,1913.

Serial No. 737,091.

breech bolt is slidably carried in a boltway preferably formed in one with the breech body and inclined downward in relation to the barrel of the rifle, which said inclined bolt-way or rearward extension of the breech body is arranged to lie in the lower part of a groove or slot formed in the hand grip or small neck part of the stock and extending rearward into the butt of the rifle, the said groove being adapted to receive a breech bolt when moved to its outward or open position. Then the breech bolt is in its closed position the. aforesaid groove or slot may be covered by a plate or shield attached to the non-rotatable cap mounted on the rear end of the bolt.

By my improved construction and arrangement of the bolt rifle I retain the usual size, shape, and disposition of the handle grip or small neck part of the stock; also the trigger mechanism as in ordinary construction, is disposed near the rear end of the bolt in close proximity to the bolt handle, when the bolt is in its closed position, to facilitate the ready and rapid manipulation of the latter; and the magazine is placed in its usual position forward of the trigger mechanism.

In order that my invention may be clearly understood, It will proceed to more fully describe same and the manner in which it is carried into effect with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figures 1' and 2 are, respectively, a side elevation and a plan view of a rifle constructed in accordance with and embodying the features of this invention. Fig. 8 represents a longitudinal section of the rifle shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 4 is a similar view to that of Fig. 3 but showing the bolt in its outward or open position. Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line AB of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a transverse section taken on line CD of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 shows various views of the outer end of the bolt, with the inclined bolt head swivelly connected thereto. Fig. 8 shows a side elevation and plan of the bolt, and the swivelly connected bolt-way cover. Fig. 9 shows a side elevation and plan of the breech body with the extended guide groove or boltway.

Like numerals of reference indicate the same parts or features throughout the several figures of the drawings.

According to the embodiment of this ining movement of the bolt to effect the lockvention as illustrated in the drawings, the ln'eech body 1 inclines downward from the breech end of the barrel 2 to the butt 3, and is provided with a bolt-way 4: for the sliding breech bolt 5, and its rear end is formed into a channel or guide groove 6 which extends into the butt 3, of the rifle and in which said guide groove 6 lies the breech bolt 5 when in its outward or open position, as shown in Fig. 4. In the one side of the breech body 1 is provided a longitudinal slot 7 to receive the bolt handle 8 and a side-way opening or gap 8 to permit of the part turning of same in its closed position, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, in which position the bolt handle 8 acts as a rearward auxiliary resistance lug. The aforesaid longitudinal slot 7 is extended through the neck of the stock or butt 3 a suificient distance to allow of the full travel or outward movement of the bolt 5 to open the breech, and is closed or covered by a plate or cover 9, which is connected to the end of the bolt 5, being attached to the non-rotatable cap 10 of the bolt which carries the usual locking device 10 and also receive the screwed end of the bolt as seen in Fig. 7, such being adapted to permit of a part turning movement of the bolt. The underside of the said cap 10 is provided with a dovetail or undercut part 10 which slidably engages with the correspondingly dovetailed groove 6 in the extended rear end of the breech body 1. Also the rear end of the cover plate 9 is provided with a pair of inturned lips or projections 12, which engage with the underside of the plate 13, secured to the butt 3 as seen in Fig. 6.

When the bolt 5 is in its closed position as seen in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the cover plate 9 completely closes the longitudinal slot 7 in the neck of the stock or butt 3, and efiectively keeps out all dirt or sand; also it will be observed that the said cover plate 9, together with the rear extended part 6 of: the breech body 1, serve to give strength to the neck or hand grip of the stock 3. hen the bolt 5 is moved to its open position as seen in Figs. 4 and 6, the said cover plate 9 passes into the recess 1 formed in the upper side of the stock or butt 3. Ir" desired the said recess 14: may be incas-ed by a covering 15 of wood or other suitable material, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1; the said covering 15 being secured in position by screws or otherwise, or it may be provided with dovetailed parts and adapted to he slid into and out of position.

The rearward travel 01": the sliding breech bolt 5 is controlled or limited in the usual manner by the locking device 11, and in its extreme rearward position the dovetailed slide part 10 of the non-rotatable cap 10 on the end of the bolt 5 is still in engage ment with the dovetailed part of the guide groove 6 on the rearward extension of the breech body 1, as seen in Fig. 4; also the inturned lips 01' projections 12 on the cover plate 9 are in engagement with the underside edges of the plate 13, which is secured to the butt 3, whereby all the said parts are retained in operative or sliding engagement.

To remove the sliding breech bolt 5 for inspection or other purpose, the hinged lever or stop of the locking device 11 is pressed inward, moving its nose outward clear of the resistance lugs of the bolt, which in known manner permits of the bolt being drawn outward. A little rearward movement brings the dovetail slide part 10 of the non rotatable cap 10 into the cut-away part 1.6 of the guide groove 6 in the rearward extension of the breech body 1, and the lips or projections 12 on the cover 9 into the cut-away part 17 of the plate 13 on the butt 3. The sliding bolt 5 is now lifted or tilted upward to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, the slot 7 in the breech body 1 being cut away or inclined at 7 to permit of such movement of the bolt 5. It will now be observed that the sliding breech bolt is free to continue its rearward outward movement in order to withdraw same from the breech body.

To the front end or nose of the sliding breech bolt 5 is fitted in known manner, as seen in Fig. 7, the non-rotating bolt head 18, the face of which is inclined so as to be quite perpendicular to the line of axis 01? the barrel, and is provided with an elongated slot or recess 19 to permit of the slight turning movement of the cartridge while the latter is being pushed from the magazine platform 20 into the breech end 21 of the barrel.

The magazine 22 and the trigger guard 23 are preferably formed in one piece, and when fixed in position the magazine 22 is approximately at right angles to the line of axis of the sliding breech bolt 5.

On the upperside of the breech body 1 is provided a raised platform or bridge 24 on which is mounted a rear aperture or other suitable sight 25, and in the said platform or bridge 2% is formed a hole 26 in alinement with the bore 27 of the barrel, which permits, when the bolt .5 is simply moved to its outward position, as seen in Figs. 4 and 6, of the ready inspection of the barrel and the insertion of cleaning rods, thus avoiding the objectionable necessity common to bolt rifles of ordinary construction, of having to completely remove the bolt for such purpose of inspection and cleaning of the barrel.

It will be readily understood that by means of my new or improved construction and arrangement of bolt rifle, it is possible for the shooter to keep his eye fixed on the line of sight, during the opening and closing of the breech mechanism, while the disposition'and movement of the breech bolt permits of its ready and easy manipulation without the necessity of moving the rifle from the shoulder of the shooter. It will also be obvious that my improved rifle lends itself to modification in details of construction and arrangement without departing from the nature or scope of the invention; as, for instance, instead of the guide groove 6 in the rearward extension of the breech body 1 and the cover plate 9 attached to the sliding breech bolt 5, being disposed in vertical position in relation to the rifle s shown in the drawings, such may be in an inclined position which would permit of the side of the butt 3, against which the shooters face comes in contact when the rifle is in use, being formed completely of wood.

Having fully described my invention, what I desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A new or improved rifle in which the breech bolt carried in a breech body inclined in relation to the barrel is adapted to pass along a groove or slot which is formed in the hand grip or small neck part of the stock, and extends rearward into the butt, being slidably carried on a rearward extension of the breech body which lies in the lower part of the said groove or slotby which arrangement the breech mechanism can be opened and closed without removing the rifle from the shooters shoulder, or taking the eye from the line of sight, or moving the head from the aiming position.

2. In a bolt rifle, the combination with a breech body having an inclined bolt-way which extends rearward into the butt or stock and slidably carries the breech bolt,

of a cover plate which is swivelly attached to the breech bolt and adapted to cover the bolt handle slot in the neck of the butt or stock when the breech bolt is in its closed position.

8. In a bolt rifle, the combination, with the butt and breech body, of a plate secured to said butt, an inclined boltway with which said breech body is provided, said boltway and plate having gaps at their rear ends, a bolt carried on said boltway, a cap provided on said bolt and having a part slidably engaging said boltway, and a cover plate provided on said bolt and having projections engaging the butt plate, said part and projections being adapted to be brought into the gaps in said boltway and butt plate, respectively, during the rearward movement of the bolt, to permit subsequent upward movement of the latter, said boltway having a slot for the reception of the bolt handle which is inclined to permit the aforesaid upward movement of said bolt.

4. In a bolt rifle the combination with a breech body having a rearward extension or bolt way which lies in a recess in the stock and slidably carries the breech bolt, of a fixed raised platform or bridge surmounting the breech body at the rear of the barrel, adapted to carry a rear sight and provided with a central opening in alinement with the bore of the barrel, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

GEORGE NORMAN.

WVitnesses ERNEST J ONES, H. L. HART.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

